Makingchips | Equipping Manufacturing Leaders

Is your tech stack doing its job? Jim and Jason know how hard it can be to keep all the balls in the air and not become overwhelmed. As the manufacturing industry continues to grow, it is vital that the Metal Working Nation become increasingly efficient - and smarter. Guest speaker, Kaleb Mertz - the integrator and marketing team lead of MakingChips - dives into why and how you need to integrate your tech stack to boost your company’s efficiency and ease the load on you and your employees. Making Chips and making money doesn’t solely rely on the mechanics of the shop floor. Take further steps to build your techstack and read Kaleb's article at www.makingchips.com/techstack Subscribe to The Boring Bar newsletter by texting the word CHIPS to 38470 This Week’s Superstar Guest: Kaleb Mertz Connect with Kaleb on LinkedIn Email Kaleb at kaleb@makingchips.com Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google

Just as software-as-a-service (SaaS) has been used to streamline the software needs of businesses and organizations around the world, Xometry has created the manufacturing-as-a-service (MaaS) platform to serve the pressing needs of the Metal Working Nation. Jim and Jason discuss the inner-workings of Xometry’s impressive success with the vice president of the company, Michael Dickson, in this week’s exciting episode of MakingChips. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Xometry’s success as the leader in manufacturing as a service As the largest manufacturing-on-demand platform in the country, Xometry makes parts for over 16,000 customers - including clients such as NASA and BMW. Michael explains that their ability to meet such high demands is because of their instant quoting engine, partner network, and through their online e-commerce site - Xometry Supplies. Michael shares that the passion and drive behind the company is to help manufacturers grow in their own businesses as well as helping the manufact

Step up your machining game by utilizing tools such as trunnion tables and growing your manufacturing business through partnerships with other companies! Jason Zenger and Nick Goellner join Stan Martin - Kentucky entrepreneur and owner of Martin Manufacturing in this inspiring episode of MakingChips. Many call him “Stan the Trunnion Man,” and rightly so. Realizing how much time he and his team were spending handling projects and parts themselves inspired Stan to streamline the trunnion table for optimal performance - for his own shop and for the entire Metal Working Nation. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Working smarter - not harder Stan says that the reason he found himself and his team in the trunnion table business is because he is a lazy machinist. He knew that manually handling every part was wasting time and energy when it could all be done by a machine. Using CNC machines and trunnion tables, Stan began creating his own product line. Stan explains that most companies still look at trunnion

We often don’t think of a franchise and a manufacturing business as being an easy match, but systematizing your business according to the franchise model can vastly improve the functionality and profitability of your company. Tools such as an ERP system can help you boost efficiency and keep track of everything needed to streamline your business. In this episode, the co-founder and president of ProShop ERP, Paul Van Metre, shares the practical steps to take towards a more refined and systematized set of processes for optimal company performance. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Applying the franchise model vs. becoming a franchise Paul explains that the goal of modeling your business after a franchise isn’t to become the next Subway or McDonald’s. Instead, the vision is to design a franchise prototype. Creating standardized systems for every process and goal within your company will help you create repeatability and redundancy for every task and will help you pinpoint problems - leading to continua

Excellent customer experience is vital to the success of your manufacturing business, and marketing automation solutions can help you not only sell your business but maintain your customer base as well. In this episode of MakingChips, Jim and Jason discuss the importance of utilizing marketing automation correctly with B2B consultant and advisor, Todd Hockenberry. Author of Inbound Organization: How to Build and Strengthen Your Company’s Future Using Inbound Principles and host of “The Industrial Executive Podcast,” Todd shares how to customize your marketing automation to your customers and how to map customer behavior so that you can provide the best service to each individual. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Understanding how the conversation works between your business and the customer “Marketing automation is using technology to facilitate conversations so that you can build relationships.” Todd explains that it all begins with the conversation between you and the customer. Many businesses ar

Jason and Jim both felt the need to fight against the perspective of nepotism within their family manufacturing businesses by proving their merit within their respective companies. Growing up in the family business had its perks, but it also came with the need to overcome the stigma that they were successful simply because of their bloodline. There was a lot to prove - to both themselves and others as they mastered the manufacturing business and took on greater leadership and responsibility. Guest speaker, Dietmar Goellner - Nick Goellner’s father - shares his own experience and insight into keeping nepotism out of the family business, while also mentoring his three sons within the company. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact The family business is still a business Dietmar grew up saturated in the heart and soul of manufacturing. His father immigrated from Germany in 1958 and founded Advanced Machine & Engineering (AME) in 1966. Dietmar is now the president, CEO, and co-owner of AME - as well as t

Jim and Jason both know the importance of fostering a great company culture within their businesses. Knowing where to begin and how to accomplish a thriving culture, however, can be daunting. In this insightful episode of MakingChips, Jim shares his personal experience building a company culture that won Carr Machine & Tool the Spark Award for Culture and Workforce Development. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact When the culture is great - the work is great When your team embraces the core values of your company, the result is hugely impactful. Jim and Jason have both discovered that when manufacturing leaders take the time to pour into their team and employees, more is accomplished and business goals are not only met, but exceeded. Your people matter, and how you communicate the mission of your company to them is key. Jim explains that learning to listen to your employees and making structured room for conversation is the foundation for company culture success. The core values of your company sh

Knowing when to start the conversation about family business succession planning can be tough. Jim and Jason understand that the dialogue surrounding the family business can be hard as it is - without throwing in who is getting what and when. In this episode of the MakingChips podcast, Jim and Jason share their personal experiences as well as some insightful tips to help the manufacturing leaders of the Metal Working Nation get the ball rolling and keep the business growing. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Knowing where and when to start the conversation While bringing up succession is uncomfortable, it is important to start planning as early as possible. The earlier you begin the dialogue, the better. Jim shares that he knew the conversation needed to be brought up with his dad when he realized that the woman his father was dating at the time may have ended up being his stepmother - and an inheritor of all he had worked hard to maintain and create in the family manufacturing business. Family situ

Specific skills and savvy are needed to succeed in the manufacturing world, making a manufacturing startup difficult to achieve. Brandon Kane, however, knew he wanted hands-on work that made a difference in the world and began his own shop in the garage with his dad, Mike. Together, they have transformed a dream into reality through hard work, determination, and a willingness to learn. In this episode of the MakingChips podcast, Jim Carr and Nick Goellner explore what makes or breaks startup business endeavors and what we can learn from Brandon’s entrepreneurial spirit. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact   The statistics behind startups Entrepreneurship has many benefits. Most small business owners were inspired to create their own startup from a desire to work for themselves and be their own boss. Others had a passion they wanted to share with the world. The unfortunate reality, however, is that most startups don’t make it past their first couple of years. Jim and Nick share some surprising startup

Life often gets crazy busy, and it can be hard to fight the stress that easily sneaks in and overwhelms the everyday. Jason and Jim unpack the causes of major stress and give practical insight and tactics for overcoming the stresses that keep leaders from performing at their very best. Speaking from personal experience, these two manufacturing leaders share their personal tools and explore the need to prioritize your priorities. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Pinpointing the major causes of stress Stress can come in quietly and pile up quickly. Life changes, bad news, distractions, and inefficient processes are only a few ways stress can overtake your work, family, and life. Businesses grow, teams expand, and life gets busy! Jason talks about a time when stressful business news impacted his health. Stress not only affects how you view and approach work, but it also affects your health, relationships, and effectiveness as a leader. Understanding why you are stressed is the first step. The connecte

LinkedIn expert, Wayne Breitbarth, is back with more excellent insight into LinkedIn strategies to promote and grow your manufacturing business! Jim and Jason ask the hard questions about the worth of a premium account, when and how to say no to offending taggers and salesmen, and when, where, and how to post the good stuff. Be sure to listen the whole way through for all the tips and tricks to boost your business and put you on the leading edge of the manufacturing industry! Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact The premium life: LinkedIn strategies for greater coverage Is a premium account worth the cash? Wayne shares a helpful gauge to determine if it’s time for you or your business to bite the bullet for premium benefits. If you are running into what Wayne calls the “free wall,” then it’s time to pay. If trying to keep up with who has been viewing your profile is taking up all your spare time, then you may want to consider going premium. With the upgraded account, you can see the past 90 days of pro

Gaining LinkedIn success is not as difficult as some may think. Utilizing the world’s largest database of professionals is key to marketing your manufacturing business and rising as a leader in the industry. Guest speaker, Wayne Breitbarth, is a LinkedIn trainer and shares his strategies and insights into the powerhouse of LinkedIn and how manufacturing leaders can effectively connect with other leaders, share their businesses, and expand their reach. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Why manufacturing leaders need to pursue LinkedIn Success LinkedIn is the largest database of professionals and business leaders that is available. As business leaders, LinkedIn is a powerful tool that can be used to market businesses, find competent employees, and connect with other influential industry leaders. An exuberant amount of time isn’t needed to establish yourself and your business on LinkedIn. Wayne explains that it is all about strategizing the processes and systems available on the platform and focusing o

Having the best workholding system is just as key as having the best tools! Jim Carr and Jason Zenger know the importance of keeping up with the game as manufacturing leaders. Growing up working the shop floor, guest speaker, Alvin Goellner, is the Business Development Leader of North America at Amrok Workholding. In this episode of MakingChips, he shares the latest trends in workholding systems and why you need to implement them for optimal efficiency and quality performance in your manufacturing business. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Optimizing your workholding process is vital to overall success The workholding process is all about how rigid you can make your setup - creating a solid foundation that will hold your material for optimal performance. Without a steady and rigid workholding system, your process will be riddled with chatter, less tolerance, and damaging vibration. While it is less of an investment to just keep upgrading your cutting and milling tools, it is still key to keep your

The team at MakingChips knows how important it is for the Metalworking Nation to optimize efficiency and productivity. Having the right tools for the job is at the foundation of a leading manufacturing business. Guest speaker, Tom Senger, gives the run-down on the latest and greatest tools to utilize on the shop floor. Tom is the manager of the Vending, Integration, and Productivity (VIP) program at Zenger’s. Helping customers integrate new operations, realize new levels of productivity, and bring in greater revenue is his specialty. Manufacturing runs in his blood, and he understands what tools to use to get the job done.   Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact   The latest trends in cutting tools can help you make more chips...and more money The tools you use can make or break the impact of your manufacturing business. Hosts Jim Carr and Jason Zenger know you need to be making chips. Being on the cutting edge of cutting tools is imperative to saving money. Tom gives several suggestions for what tools

Understanding how to create an employee development plan can be difficult if your company is not striving towards constant improvement. Guest speaker Jess Giudici is back with the MakingChips team to discuss the importance of taking the time to focus on each employee’s goals and dreams and how to foster alignment between their goals and your company’s vision. Developing your team can help you better understand why people leave your company and why they stay. Listen to this episode for insightful advice on how to best strategize your development plan and build an ever-improving team! Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Fostering a united vision to constantly improve through excellent employee development While a lot of people look at employee development as getting someone to the next level or role in a company, Jess encourages business leaders to view their development plan as a tool to foster continual growth in the individual. A good strategy is to diversify the development process. Don’t make your

Streamlining and optimizing your company’s hiring and onboarding processes can be difficult and sometimes daunting. Hosts Jim Carr and Jason Zenger bring helpful and common questions to the table with guest speaker Jessica Giudici - manager of organizational development at Smalley. Jess gives practical and engaging advice on how to approach your hiring process and create efficient, job-unique procedures for finding the best individuals for your company’s needs. Learn how staying true to your company’s vision and values can help save you time in the hiring process on this episode of the MakingChips podcast! Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact The hiring process: taking it back to the roots Where should manufacturing leaders start when assessing their company’s hiring process? Jess emphasizes that understanding who you are as a company is key. Branding isn’t just something that you talk about with the marketing team; who you are should permeate everything you do, including hiring and onboarding. Identif

The word is out - the economy is changing, and you should probably start planning for a recession. MakingChips hosts Jason Zenger and Jim Carr help take the intimidation out of a looming recessional period by offering some practical advice based on their own personal experiences with leading manufacturing businesses during economic recessions. Learn how you can get a head start in your business and personal life by making just a few - and not too frightening - changes to your company’s lifestyle in this important episode of the MakingChips podcast! Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Preparation prevents poor performance Jim and Jason explain that recessions in the economy are inevitable. While we can’t ever know for sure when or how harshly recessions will hit, we can take steps to prepare for the strike. There are difficulties in every season of the economy - even in the good times. Recessions simply provide a different set of challenges that can be weathered more effectively by those who plan accor

In this episode of MakingChips, Jason Zenger and Jim Carr introduce a new team member, Christine Schmitz - an experienced editor and writer who explains why storytelling matters to manufacturers and their businesses. Having long been connected to the manufacturing world through her husband, Dr. Tony Schmitz (featured in a previous episode), Christine has an intensely valuable viewpoint on how and why it is important for leaders to be able to tell good stories. “Communications is the foundation of who I am,” Christine shares. To communicate well, one must build relationship, and relationship is founded in the sharing of stories. Want to know what makes a great story and how knowing how to write one can boost your game in the manufacturing business? Listen to the whole episode! Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Bringing process and art together Just as in manufacturing, there is a process of writing a good story. Christine shares the process of how to take your story and vision and work it into a comp

The MakingChips podcast welcomes guest Tony Schmitz, professor at UNC Charlotte and assistant director, energy production and infrastructure center to talk about machining vibration. Tony teaches mechanical design, helping students design and build useful technology like robots. He also teaches mechanical vibrations, structural dynamics, and advanced manufacturing. He says, “At the end of the day, when you’ve made something, you never feel like you didn’t accomplish something that day.” During this episode, Tony gives helpful information about how to measure and mitigate machining vibration in manufacturing. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact The 3 pieces of the machining dynamics puzzle Why are machining dynamics important for manufacturing leaders? Knowing the variables within a tooling machine and being able to adjust them appropriately can increase the longevity of the tool and increase productivity. Tony Schmitz explains that there are three pieces of the machining dynamics puzzle. Listen as he

On this week’s episode of MakingChips, guest Noah Goellner talks about lean process improvement for manufacturers. Noah is the Vice President of Continuous Improvement for Hennig Inc. He is also a lean expert with who presents lean practices in his role at Hennig and as a member of the board of directors of QRM. During this conversation with Jim and Jason, Noah shares why focusing on lean process improvement is important for manufacturers and how it can help transform their companies. Connect with us:www.MakingChips.com/contact Why do manufacturers need to focus on lean process improvement Manufactures should devote time to integrating lean into their companies for many reasons. There are cost saving benefits, improvement of throughput, better problem-solving skills and employee development and much more. Failure to have a lean process can put you behind the competition Noah says, “You can’t improve without changing and you can’t change without improving unless you are going the wrong way.” Listen as Noah exp